PUTRAJAYA, Oct 13: Pakistan could use its political clout to end cross-border violence in Kashmir, but said on Monday India must reciprocate to bring peace to the disputed area.

Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri, speaking ahead of Oct 16-17 OIC summit here, said Pakistan had urged fellow Muslim states to back its stance despite New Delhi’s reservations.

“It’s like saying Israelis should not discuss Palestine,” he told reporters in reply to questions about Indian objections to Pakistan having raised the Kashmir issue on various forums.

“... we are prepared to discuss matters with India bilaterally but India can’t have it both ways.”

Mr Kasuri accepted that Pakistan did have a lot of influence among Kashmiris.

“For 55, 56 years, we have supported the cause of the people of Kashmir. But we don’t control them, we don’t order them around.

‘‘What we need to do is to give them hope so that they feel there’s hope at the end of the tunnel,” he said.—Reuters